Lares Trek To Machu Picchu 4 Days & 3 Nights

Your guide will wake you with a hot cup of tea or coffee to enjoy in your sleeping bag before you get up for breakfast. Feeling all revved up to begin our second day, after another delicious breakfast, we begin our 7 hour hike northeast. It starts out as an intense walk, on our way to the highest point of our trek at Pachacutec Pass(4,500m /14,800 ft). This is where you pat yourself on the back and embrace the satisfaction and exhilaration for making it up to the summit. Motivating you along the trail  are the views of glaciers, remote lakes, alpaca herds, rugged valleys and spectacular mountain vistas. Keep your eyes on the sky for the Caracara falcons and Andean geese!

After enjoying the summit, we descend for 3 hours until we reach our campsite located by the Quiswarani community, (3,700m/12,139ft). On the way, we will take off on an isolated trail where we will see indigenous highland people in their traditional outfits herding their llamas and alpacas. The local indigenous people will open their hearts and interact with you in the Quechua language (the Indigenous language of Peru). Your guide will act as your interpreter, helping to translate and to also teach you some Quechua phrases. When you arrive at the spectacular seven waterfalls, you are almost at the campsite!

At the campsite, everything will be ready. Enjoy hot drinks and appetizers before dinner, then snuggle in for a comfortable night sleep.

• Meals included: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea  – Dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities with bathroom building
• Distance: 12kms / 7.5 miles
• Time: 7hrs approximately
• Difficulty: challenging

Your adventure continues as you begin the most scenic day yet!  We begin our ascent for 3 hours until we reach the Willqaqasa Pass, (4,200m/13,779ft) getting a bird’s eye view of the reflections of the mountains in mirror images in the glacial lakes. The majestic Colquecruz and Pitusiray Mountains are awe inspiring to admire from the pass. We continue our trek through the Puna grasslands, undulating and productive agricultural sitesandnatural pristine lakes.Time to descend for 2 hours to the Cucani community. Connecting with the local indigenous children, you may have the opportunity to visit their school and share in some quality time with the students.

From Cuncani we meet our driver and ride down through alush valley with extensive agricultural areas, fruit bearing trees, varied flora, and native flowers like begonias and wild orchids. Finally, we reach our destination, the Lares Hot Springs (3,100m/ 10,170ft),wherewe cannot wait to soak in thenatural volcanic hot springsfor about an hour before we have lunch and relax.Time for our goodbyes to our remarkable chef and horsemen. 

After lunch in Lares, we take our private transport for 2.5 hours to Ollantaytambo, where we have dinner  and then we take  the 7pm train to Aguas  Calientes. Where we spend the night.

•  Meals included: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea – Dinner
• 3* Accommodation: Ferre Hotel Machu Picchu 
• Distance: 15kms / 9.3 miles
• Time: 6 hrs approximately
• Difficulty: Moderate

Today’s highlight is the amazing Machu Picchu!

After an early breakfast at your hotel, we take one of the first busses up to Machu Picchu so that you can be there to witness the sunrise. It is a truly extraordinary site and not something you’ll want to miss! Your guide will give you a tour, which takes about two hours. You will see some of the most important parts of Machu Picchu. You will also learn about how Machu Picchu is divided into three sectors: agricultural, residential and religious.

After your tour, those who have booked the extra hike of Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain in advance, you´ll get time to enjoy the hike and views on your own. When you have had your fill of the exceptional views of Machu Picchu, we take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on your train departure time, you may also have time for some shopping, sightseeing or a visit to the museum or hot springs.

The Expedition train will take you back to Ollantaytambo at 2:22pm or 3:20pm, following the spectacular Urubamba River. Close to Aguas Calientes, the canyon is narrow and the river has many beautiful sections of whitewater. You can also see Wiñay Wayna from the train, if you look up high on the steep canyon wall! Back at Ollantaytambo, your driver will meet you at the exit from the train station to take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private vehicle. You can expect to arrive at your hotel around 7:00pm.

• Meal included: Breakfast
• Difficulty: Easy

***IMPORTANT:

• You can upgrade to the Vistadome Train for the times of : 2:55pm or 3:20pm, 4:22pm, or 4:43pm. The cost is $67 USD.
• Early trains can be organized on request, but it has to be done at booking time.
• The Huayna Picchu Mountain Hike depends on availability, enquire at booking.